


Out of Any Other World

by ComposerofDiscord, SDSlanderson



Category: Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-30 10:37:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComposerofDiscord/pseuds/ComposerofDiscord, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SDSlanderson/pseuds/SDSlanderson
Summary: After being stuck in a parallel universe for months, Hernan's not the same when he returns home.A/N: A continuation of the short fic, "In Any Other World", but can hopefully stand alone.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AriesNoHope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriesNoHope/gifts).



> This is to fill your "Grumpy Hernan" prompt, Aries, and for the record, it was SDS's idea to make it a continuation of the short story, "[In Any Other World](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11423886)". So if you cry, blame SDS first. ;) 
> 
> Nonetheless, thank you so much for always being a supportive and caring friend. I'm so happy to have met you through this fandom, and I hope we continue inspiring each other in the new year! I hope you had a lovely holiday and a happy new year! 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Sai and SDS
> 
> P.S. I hope this fills your angst/fluff needs.

Hernan wasn’t the same when he returned. Kirk knew. He could see it in the way Hernan couldn’t meet him in the eye, and feel it in the stiffness of his body when Kirk tried to touch him.

What happened?

Hernan had been missing for a week. Kirk had nearly gone mad with worry. He scoured every inch of the city in hopes to find him.

Nothing.

His communicator wasn’t on, and his scent was faint. The trail ended at the docks, and went no further. If Hernan had lifted off into the air, Kirk would have been able to smell in which direction he took off, but there was nothing. It was as if he had fallen off the face of the earth.

Still, Kirk never gave up. He didn’t eat. He didn’t sleep. He only kept moving. He asked Waller where she might have sent him, but she said she hadn’t spoken to him for two weeks.

Odd.

No, Kirk didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but he was slowly starting to grow mad. Hernan wouldn’t just leave. He wouldn’t just disappear without saying anything… right?

No, Kirk shook his head again. This was no time to doubt Hernan. He loved him. He married him. He trusted him more than anyone. Hernan wouldn’t do that to him. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

But then Hernan had come back like a hurricane. He swept Kirk from a rooftop and pinned him to the nearest surface. The way he kissed him, grabbed him, reached for him was that of a starving man.

Kirk was no better.

His heart once so heavy was lifted. Only the strongest man in the world had the strength to carry it. Only Hernan was trusted to hold it, hold him, and yet he hadn’t moved to hold Kirk again after that day.

“I was stuck in a parallel universe to ours,” Hernan told him. “Their Batman and Superman helped me return to this world.”

It was a lot for Kirk to take in. The thought of them in another universe… Was it the same? Was it different?

Kirk wanted to ask, but there was a darkness in Hernan’s eyes that told him not to. Whether Hernan realized it or not, he had shut himself away from Kirk. Even when Kirk had climbed into bed beside him, and came to wrap his arms around him, Hernan’s body stiffened. He didn’t move to press against him like he usually did. Rather he kept his face turned away and remained still.

Kirk felt something weigh heavy inside his chest.

“Will you ever tell me what happened?” Kirk whispered. His voice was faint, but he knew Hernan heard him.

Silence.

Kirk slowly let go of Hernan and went to move away when he finally asked, “Do you know a Francine?”

Kirk paused. “Francine? I know of one, yes.”

There was a little twitch in his shoulder as if Hernan was going to turn to look at him, but in the end, he remained facing away.

Francine? Why did he want to know about Francine? Kirk had never told Hernan about Francine. He didn’t think he needed to. Hernan never spoke about his past lovers to Kirk, and Kirk wasn’t naïve. He knew Hernan had his fair share, but he also knew whatever he might have had in the past was the past.

It didn’t do to dwell in the past. If his life had taught him anything up to that point, it was at least that. Even so, Kirk’s answer seemed to upset Hernan in some way, so he elucidated even though he’d rather not think about Francine.

“In high school I dated a girl named Francine. She was my first girlfriend. We broke it off after I left for college. She’s married now, and… the last time we spoke, we didn’t leave on a happy note.”

“When was that?”

Kirk sighed as he thought about it. “Over ten years ago, Hernan. If this has something to do with that other world, I… I haven’t thought about Francine for years.”

“It’s not just that!” Hernan had shot out of bed. He didn’t give time for Kirk to respond much less sit up before he had left the room entirely.

Kirk was left to sit alone in the dark.

The next day Hernan was nowhere to be seen in the tower. Kirk went to look for him. He followed his trail from across rooftops. As he leapt from one roof to another, he was reminded once more of the time Hernan had been missing. How many days and nights he had spent searching for Hernan – fearing that Hernan had left for good?

But Hernan wouldn’t do that. Even if Hernan hadn’t touched him for days, Kirk knew he wouldn’t. He still believed Hernan loved him. It was something else, something about that world that disturbed him.

The trail led to the docks. It was the very same docks Kirk had first met Hernan. Hernan had found him on his knees, with a filthy rat between his teeth, yet Hernan had extended his hand out to him. He offered him shelter, a place where Kirk could feel safe beside him. Kirk hadn’t left Hernan’s side since.

Even now, he felt as if he were crawling to Hernan’s side, hoping there was still a place there for him.

“Hernan,” Kirk had called out to him. “Hernan, please.”

Kirk came to step closer, but his step faltered when Hernan looked back at him. There, finally, could Kirk see the inner turmoil in those dark eyes. Kirk knew there was something there. He had suspected it, but to see it…

“Hernan.” Kirk went to reach out for him. Hernan didn’t move. He allowed Kirk to reach his shoulder. The cool hand pulled him closer, and he accepted it. He stepped into the cool fingers that glided up his neck to his cheek.

Familiar hands framed his face, and touched him in a way he had been craving for, for so long. What had only been a week for Kirk had been unbearable months for Hernan.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Those red eyes beseeched him. Kirk was patient at first, but now he couldn’t stand seeing Hernan this way. If there was anything he could do to help put his mind at ease, Kirk would.

“A-Are you happy?” Hernan asked at last.

“Happy? Yes, I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hernan looked at Kirk for some time. His blue eyes studied his pale face, his red eyes, and the tips of his fangs that peeked beneath his upper lip. He felt the coolness of his hands, and heard the beating of his heart that was softer than any human’s but still beated.

This wasn’t Kirk from that world. Kirk from that world had greying hair, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled from years of smiling. He had a family. Hernan had seen his daughter and son, and most of all his loving wife.

He saw Kirk kiss her in greeting, and hold her in his arms like there was no other place he would rather be.

Kirk was happy.

Kirk was safe in a world Hernan was never born in.

“Hernan,” Kirk began slowly. “I do not know what you saw in that other world, but if you’re trying to compare it to this, or who I was there to who I am here, stop. I have made some terrible decisions in this life, and I have suffered for it, but I would do it all over again. What happened to me, brought me to you, and I wouldn’t change this world for any other outcome.”

Kirk had pulled him in close. He wrapped his arms around him, and Hernan’s body finally gave in. He rested his head against Kirk’s shoulder, and his arms wrapped around his waist.

“I love you, Hernan.” Kirk told him softly, and Hernan believed it. He never doubted Kirk didn’t love him, but to think that Kirk could have been happier without him…

“I was never born.” Hernan confessed.

“What?”

“In that world… I was never born.”

Cool hands grasped his chin and raised his face to look at red eyes and a warm smile. “No matter what happens in that world or the next, doesn't matter. It's this one I fell in love with you. It's this one I wish to share with you now and forever.”

Hernan was speechless. Kirk could see Hernan trying to form words that never came, but Kirk understood them nonetheless. Even so, he let go of Hernan’s face and reached for his hand where the golden band was wrapped around his ring finger.

His thumb rubbed along the smooth surface before Hernan moved his fingers to intertwine them with Kirk’s.

“Remember what this says?” Kirk asked as Hernan looked down at his ring. “In all the world there is no heart for me like yours.”

For the first time since Hernan returned, a smile crossed his features. He remembered. He always had. For the long months they were apart, Hernan had lost count how many times he had looked down at his ring – had ran his thumb over the engraved words.

They were vows Kirk had made to him the night he slipped it on his finger. It was a night much like this with the moon full and high in the sky.  They didn’t have wedding photos, or the wedding cake topper saved on their shelf, but they had rings they engraved together.

He took Kirk’s hand in his, and felt the matching wedding band around his finger. It was the ring Hernan had given him. It wasn’t the one Francine had given her Kirk for they weren’t the same.

This Kirk and that Kirk were different people in a different time and place. That Kirk was Francine’s, and this Kirk was his.

“In all the world there is no love for you like mine,” Hernan recited.

Kirk smiled, and pulled him in to kiss him. It wasn’t in a hurried rush, or out of desperation like the first time Hernan returned. It was soft as it was sweet. It was one that told Hernan he was truly happy.

“Welcome back, Hernan. Welcome home.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame the entire idea to Sai because it was her idea to make a collab thonk at first =_=

* * *

 

 

 

\-----END-----

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: The quote for the engraved rings is from Maya Angelou. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and take care!


End file.
